#a black woman modern USA

[the-harvest-field]

Who is God?

“My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah.” Psalms 62:7-8 When we make choices we face a crossroad. One direction leads to a new life, another might lead to your old life. What does God want us to choose? What do we want to choose? We don’t always know what is the…

[girljeremystrong]

books about dads and about family and about complicated feelings

FICTION

they're going to love you by meg howrey: carlisle goes back to greenwich village to her father's house and finds herself dealing with her complicated feelings towards her dad.

foster by claire keegan: a story about a young girl who's sent to live with another family and founds a love she wasn't familiar with before.

the namesake by jhumpa lahiri: most beautiful novel by our gratest author about the son of immigrants from calcutta growing up in america.

east of eden by john steinbeck: the nobel prize winning greatest story of a father growing two very different boys in california.

still life by sarah winman: ulysses finds himself with a child and chooses to become the best man he can for her (and they move to italy).

unlikely animals by annie hartnett: emma's dad has a mysterious brain disease so she drops out of med school and goes back home. it's a delightful story.

the family chao by lan samantha chang: a retelling of the brothers karamazov set in a modern day chinese restaurant in america.

the incredible winston browne by sean dietrich: sheriff browne recieves some bad news and suddenly he finds himself taking care of a runaway girl who doesn't speak.

we begin at the end by chris whitaker: duchess is only a kid but she takes care of her little brother with all she has even when circumstances keep getting worse and worse.

razorblade tears by s. a. crosby: two black men are killed and their fathers, who always had trouble accepting their sexualities, decide to get justice.

the sweetness of water by nathan harris: in the waning days of the civil war two brothers find refuge with a couple in a farm.

salvage the bones by jesmyn ward: esch's brothers and her dad in the 12 days before during and after hurricane katrina. a modern classic and one of the most beautiful books ever.

the patron saint of liars by ann patchett: in a kentucky home for unwed mothers, a woman meets a man and can't escape her past.

homeland elegies by ayad akhtar: a very personal story of a man and his father dealing with feelings of dispossession and belongings. again one of the best books in the world.

NON-FICTION

the three mothers by anna malaika tubbs: the story of the three women who raised and shaped martin luther king jr., malcolm x and james baldwin.

how to say babylon by safyia sinclair: a memoir of a childhood shaped by a volatile father.

beautiful country by qian julie wang: after moving from china to the usa young qian finds a place among books as her family struggles to adapt to their new home as undocumented immigrants.

between the world and me by ta-nehisi coates: a black father shares his fears for his son growing up in current day america.

[sleepyhollowtimburton]

Origins of the Headless Horseman legend

Despite the legend of Sleepy Hollow being one of the oldest American written horror stories, the origin behind the Headless Horseman is a lot older and originates in Europe.

Washington Irving first published the legend of Sleepy Hollow between 1819-1820. In this story, it is explained that the Headless Horseman was a German mercenary soldier, a Hessian hailing from the German state Hessen, who unfortunately lost his head during the revolutionary war after being hit by a canon ball to the face. It is interesting that Irving chose for a German origin for the Horseman in a Dutch town as both Germany and the Netherlands have legends of headless horsemen, talking decapitated heads, ghost riders in the dark that have its origins in pre-Christian times.

Here are some examples of the headless horseman myth from different countries in Europe:

Netherlands: The belief in the wild hunt was once quite important in pre-Christian times, it's in fact the origin of the modern Dutch holiday of Sinterklaas which was introduced in the USA as Santa Clause. As the days shorten and winter arrives, the Germanic God Wodan, or in some instances the Goddess Hel/Holle, rides through the sky followed by a horde of the undead. Anyone unfortunate enough to see the riders in the sky, would soon die and join the hunt. To please the hunt, people began to give offerings to the God Wodan and his horse Sleipnir, placing carrots in shoes, this tradition is still being done in the Netherlands until this very day. I am myself a Germanic Pagan and I honour the wild hunt by making offerings to Wodan and his horse and blowing the midwinter horn.

There is also a Dutch medieval song 'Heer Halewijn', the origins of which are assumed to be older, an oral tradition before being written down around the 15th century. This song tells the tale of a princess set out to meet Halewijn who in turn ends up being a murderer who decapitates women in the forest. The princess manages to decapitate Halewijn instead and takes his head with her to her father the king, Halewijn's decapitated head however continues to talk to the princess.

Ireland: In Irish folklore, the Dullahan is a headless evil entity who rides a horse while carrying his head under his arm. This spectre is perhaps the most famous and classic example of the visual origin of the Headless Horseman. Not only does the Dullahan carry his own head, he also wields a whip made out of a human spine. Whenever the Dullahan halts his horse, a death will happen by calling out that person's name. Some say that the Dullahan is the spirit of Crom Dubh, a Celtic deity who was worshiped by means of human sacrifices.

There is also the Cóiste Bodhar, a strange headless entity who drives a black coach. Bodhar is a harbinger of death who arrives to announce the passing of a relative or a loved one, quite similar to the grim reaper.

Wales: Now the country of Wales is home to quite a few headless mysteries. One of the more famous stories tells about a headless woman: 'Fenyw heb un pen' who eerily also rides a horse without a head. Another story tells of how Bryn Hall was haunted by a headless horseman until the horseman pointed towards a body which turned out to be the dead body of an illegimate child of Bryn Hall. This version of the Headless Horseman seems to have been more benign, rather than being a harbinger of death or a crazed killer.

Germany: Germany is also home to several Headless Horseman legends and is of course the home country of Irving's version of the Headless Horseman. Most of Germany's legends originate from the Rhineland area and were part of a morality tale. Many of these Headless Horsemen were doomed men, being punished for their sins on earth so they had to wander until they had atoned for their sins. Sometimes these Headless men would perform good deeds, most times however they would kill victims, not by decapitation but simply by touching them. Both Germany and the Netherlands believed in the Wild Hunt legend and it is alleged that many of these Headless Horsemen have their origin in the pagan wild hunt.

England: England also has several legends concerning Headless Horsemen, one of these is part of the legend of Arthur, the Green Knight. This knight challenged one man in Arthur's court to strike him down with his axe but the Green Knight warned the man he would strike the man back later in a year. As promised, the knight got decapitated, picked up his head and later decapitated the man whom he challenged. Another headless horseman legend originates from the Dartmoor area, nothing much is known about this legend other than that people have seen a headless man riding around the countryside.

In the end, the Headless Horseman has its origins in both Celtic and Germanic mythology and new versions of the legend keep on popping up throughout history, either as a bringer/omen of death or as a killer waiting for his unfortunate victims. Seldomly is the Headless Horseman a benign person helping people in need.

The legend found its way to the USA thanks to Dutch, Irish, English and German settlers and was immortalized by Washington Irving in his 1820 story 'the legend of Sleepy Hollow'. Washington Irving himself probably based the story on the old Dutch and German stories as he was familiar with them thanks to his travels. The retellings of German folktakes 'Volksmärchen der Deutschen, 1783 was especially a big source of inspiration for Washington Irving.

[raining-anonymously]

i like delores aesthetically and i enjoy her as a character, but on a surface level i do not like her. i think we’re going too easy on her because she’s hot. the woman was a serial killer and a cult leader. tbh betelgeuse did whatever part of italy they lived in a favor. then she double-serial-killed people in the afterlife. she is EVIL and SCARY.

however, she is fascinating, both for the alternate light she casts existing characters in and in her own right.

this post was going to be about her but i got distracted so everything under the read more is about… geography? i think? and also languages, and also theorizing on how long delores was awake after she died.

based on the the guy who fell down the manhole at the beginning, it seems like wherever you die is directly correlated to what part of the afterlife you end up in rather than where you live. he died in the usa, so he ended up in the part we see, which is english-speaking and mostly has usamerican ghosts.

miss argentina, betelgeuse, and delores are not usamerican. sure, miss argentina’s beauty contest could have been in the usa, but betelgeuse and delores explicitly died in italy, and juno, who works in the usa sector of the afterlife, implies that she knows what it’s like to haunt places in italy. clearly, migration within the afterlife is possible.

re: charles and richard—ok i forgot where charles was flying from when he died. but if it was out of the continent, i think charles probably died close enough to the us that he got sent to that part of afterlife anyway. richard has been dead for years and had time to migrate. maybe that’s why he’s working civil service? as an excuse to switch sections? idk…

throughout both movies betelgeuse consistently displays an affinity for mimicking accents and voices, as well as being multilingual (he at least speaks spanish, italian, english). plus he’s been dead a long time. it’s believable that these combined factors led to him speaking english with an american accent rather than an italian accent. it is worth noting that his diction becomes more poetic and flowery when he’s speaking italian.

there’s also the thing where he says “mazel tov” during the flashback, but we don’t see his face while he says it, so that may not have been actually said at that time.

delores does have an italian accent. doylistically, this is because monica bellucci is italian. watsonian-wise, she’s probably just… not as good at vocal mirroring as betelgeuse. plus she hasn’t been awake for a large portion of her time as a ghost. but, and this is important, she has definitely been awake for some of it.

i do believe delores knew english when she was alive—her poison bottle is labeled in english. as for why she’d be speaking english to everyone around her? the first person who addresses her is the janitor, and he speaks english. from there, she correctly assumes that everyone else speaks english and responds accordingly. she also does the “betelgeuse is mine!” graffiti in english. and when she and betelgeuse are finally face-to-face, she speaks to him in english, too. doylistically, this is because the film is written in english and they didn’t want to overuse subtitles, but it is interesting that she wouldn’t address him in their first language.

still, even if we can’t use the language she speaks as a reason, i believe delores was awake before being dumped into a storage box. she adapts very quickly to the modern things in the afterlife (i don’t know how long spray paint and staple guns have been around, but i’m assuming they were invented post-black death). she doesn’t seem surprised or distressed by the fact that she’s dead or in multiple pieces, or by her soul-sucking / possession abilities. (she moves lydia with possession in the church.) she also navigates the afterlife fairly easily.

there’s also just no reason why she WOULDN’T be awake. the deceased can exist in pieces. look at the chopped-in-half woman in the first film.

so this gives us this mysterious block of time post-death where betelgeuse and delores moved to the usa and delores was eventually forced into the unconscious and separated state she’s in when the movie begins. no conclusion here, just food for thought.

anyway that tragedy sequence was so beautiful aauguhhhhhhhahahshjfjfj

[mclennonlgbt]

On June 28, 1969, exactly 55 years ago, riots began at the Stonewall Inn bar in New York. It was this event that marked the beginning of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

The most famous myth related to the events at Stonewall states that the revolution was started by Marsha P. Johnson, a black drag queen and queer icon. But Marsha repeatedly denied this, claiming that she did not arrive at Stonewall until after 2 a.m., when fighting with the police had already begun in earnest.

So who made LGBTQ people have the courage to start an uprising? Stormé DeLarverie, the daughter of an African-American woman and a white man. She was one of the first drag kings in the USA and a member of Jewel Box Review - the first racially inclusive drag queen revue. In the 1970s, Stormé worked as a security guard and bouncer in lesbian clubs.

On the night of June 28, during a police raid on a bar, Stormé got hit while trying to help a man who had been pushed to the ground, and had to confront a policeman who shouted at her, thinking he was a boy, 'Move, twat!'" She was hit with a baton and that was the first blow that started it all. Stormé DeLarverie hit the policeman with her bare fist and he was covered in blood.

Let's remember Stormé, the Rosa Parks of the LGBTQ+ community.

[illicithurricane]

I am here to say what I want, not to argue with your sick propaganda.

Anti-woke, pro-life, zero jabs. Proud Millennial. Ravenclaw. #IStandwithJKRowling I'm a WOMAN: an adult female human being, XX chromosomes. You can call me "pick me" if you want but I am already "picked" so... Trying to be a good wife for my Chinese man since 2014. Born and raised in Italy so stfu I dont subscribe to 'Murican madness -but also TRUMP2024!-. Racist cause the third-worlders are disgusting and are actively destroying my beautiful Italy and k!ll!ng my countrymen so I want them all deported: legal or illegal doesn't matter anymore. - Only 2 genders cause "gender" is a synonym of sex so if there are only MALE and FEMALE, there are only 2 genders. - "Non-binary" is not real, no matter how big your delusions are. - Facts dont care about your mental illnesses. - Respect is earned, not given. - GenZ/GenA are the weakest, most ignorant, useless generations. - Modern feminists are lazy nazih0es. - Without men (especially white men) we wouldnt have civilization. - Life begins at conception. - Abortion is murder and should be allowed only for REAL r4pe and inc3st cases which are not even the 1% of abortion cases. - NO mandatory jabs. - Womanhood is not a cosplay. - Keep MALES out of all FEMALES spaces. - Groomes/QUEERz: leave kids alone! - The trans"genders" need to GTFO off existence. - Dumb people who cry "cultural appropriation" are the first to appropriate (and destroy) RICHER cultures. - USA is not the greatest country. - Boycott ALL black-washing and race/gender swapping. - Third-World savages MUST ALL BE DEPORTED.

[blinkbones]

Five 1-season series I watched recently, and why I recommend them/liked them:

Lessons in Chemistry

About the trials and tribulations of a woman who both fails and refuses to conform to the expectations of 50s-60s USA. The show is primarily character-driven and works on a rather… somewhat simplified and exagerrated mindset? It took me offguard at first, but was fine once I settled into the groove. My favorite part was, as I later found out, an addition for the show (compared to the book, which I haven’t read) → the neighbor being a black woman fighting for civil rights. There’s that one chunk that mixes the psychological/personal aspect of getting involved with the socio-political reality of asymmetrical struggles and I… loved how clever that was… I’ll be honest, in that the show is mostly a sort of drama/character exploration and the political painting part of it is secondary. But I mean, the drama is good, I bawled my eyes out a bunch of times, and it’s visually compelling. The protagonist reads somewhat as a modern woman dropped into the fifties and her relentlessness is actually refreshing. It’s a power fantasy in that sense – watching someone smart, fully confident in her own abilities, and what she’s worth, and owed… It’s nice. Just so that we’re clear – this show is the one I’m least confident pitching, because it’s odd in many ways and questionable in some – but I really enjoyed it and I won’t lie about that. I thought it was very good on the moment hahahaha

So give it a go if it intrigues you!! and come chat with me about the neighborhood subplots.

Cherry Magic (anime version)

About an unremarkable salaryman who starts being able to read others’ thoughts because he’s a 30 y/o virgin – but really, it’s actually about someone finding both love and confidence in himself. This is so, so sweet. Pretty funny, too. For all the silliness of the premise, the more profound core of the story is very nicely-wrought, it’s painted with a delicate touch and subtle hues. There are aspects of it that I think will hit harder if you are not a child anymore. I think I would have enjoyed it when I was sixteen, but probably not as much as I did being a worn-out adult, lol. I binged it while I was insomniac with dread, and it made me laugh like a teenager. It’s sincerely very fucking great and if you enjoy romances at all you’ll love it.

Scavengers’ Reign

About a handful of scattered space castaways on a beautiful, wonderful and terrifying planet. If you enjoy science-fiction for any reason whatsoever, I can only make this a very ardent recommendation. It has it all: the alien planet, the machines, the creatures, the cast of characters; but also the wonder, and the fear, never too far from one another. This show is a real underrated gem and I am very serious. For you, tumblr, my beloved freakopolis, it also has it all. I won’t say it – but it has what you want. […] This show is so beautiful. The planet’s ecosystem feels tangible and coherent and new and it’s beautiful and frightening most of the time. There’s something of the primordial awe of coming into contact with the intriguing unknown. Did I mention that this is an animated show?? It’s very good visually too.

Andor

About the birth of revolution – accross the galaxies, people getting tired of imperial abuse, and in the hero’s heart and mind. What I loved most was how grounded it was. This isn’t the usual star wars with god-elect heroes with a destiny. It’s about the sorry little bitches who look at their increasingly corrupted world and decide to try to do something about it. Or end up in there by accident. SO, so good. For that only I thought it was a banger. But then there’s everything else!! The worldbuilding (that prison!!)! The practical effects! The janky-looking tech everywhere! The gorgeous sets (the senator’s house HELLO <<33)! Heartwrenching details! An essayist! Not joking it changed my brain chemistry and there’s a bit of text I want to write down on paper for myself.

Machine

Mandatory « I’m sorry for all you bitches that don’t speak French » because I doubt it’ll get translated, or even subbed, anytime soon if at all. But god y’all are missing out. Machine is a freakishly fun take on the figure of the white woman being kickass through « kung-fu » (looked like every technique under the sun to me lol), yknow, Kill Bill-like? It’s also a very, very fun series about freaking Karl Marx and class struggle. Not joking, literally some fighting interspersed with karl marx quotes and also cycling. Again with a show that lays it on thick and, at first, it takes me off-guard, but I go with the flow and then it’s fucking fantastic. Suuuch a coup de coeur for me. Can’t think of a translation for it, but it means that it struck a chord and became a favorite of mine. Also made me realize I was less aware of where dreadlocks discourse is currently at than I thought (topic for a research afternoon for when I can catch a fucking break…) (bc the heroine has them). Et je m’en remets pas de l’influenceur gilet jaune lol, quelle pépite. Very mad that no one around me watched it.

Honorary mention: Jujutsu Kaisen s2

Total banger. You don't need me to recommend it to you.

[ofemeraldstars]

@lightcreators asked: " I want to be someone other people can be proud of, happy I have been here for them" ( from Will Solace @ modern verse)

"Then, you are in the right place." Thinya commented as she heard Will's words about willing to be there for other people. The young woman was a neurosurgeon, proud of helping people and finding the cause of their pain. It was also the reason why she was still living and fighting. After the death of her fiancé, Thinya wanted to give up on life, on her career, on everything. The brunette lost her love for life. Everything was painted black and white now.

However, with the help of her family and her friends, the young woman managed to find the strength to become this neurosurgeon she dreamed to be. It took her time, and sacrifice. Thinya left London to move to the USA, starting a new life from scratch. She barely new anyone in this town and was mostly married to her job. She had not space for anyone else in her life, and she didn't want to replace James. Even after five years, it was still too soon for her.

Her green hues looked back at William as she then closed the chart she had in her hands. "Here, we are here for people. We help them, we heal them when we can. When we can't, we make sure to be there for them until the end. Empathy is part of the values I like to share with my team. Without empathy, we look mostly like robots." She paused before then adding. "Have you ever work in the neuro department of a hospital before?"

[dolokhoded]

i think you'd be interested in a production of jesus christ superstar i saw at a small theatre company in florida - the main concept was that the show is set in modern day usa & jesus and the disciples are a group of homeless leftists (which is also true in the bible). jesus was played by a black woman who KILLED IT. she had the most gorgeous voice. most of the disciples (& other characters, its community theatre after all) were played by women actually. mary magdalene was a punk with a great battle jacket (including a she/they patch!) & there was a lot of emphasis on her mental health.

pontius pilate was portrayed as a liberal speaker of the house, kind herod the president, caiaphas a leader of a megachurch, and annas is a reporter for faux news (& heavily based off of tucker carlson). another interest aspect of the show is that a majority of the ensemble were drag queens. also instead of using palm leaves during hosanna, they used protest signs.

all in all i thought it was really good. some old ladies walked out in the middle of it.

anon i swear to god i have so many feelings about this production i've never watched in my life i WILL cry i should've been there. is there any way there's any footage of this online do they have production shots or anything i Must know what it was like.

[pandoramsbox]

Sci-Fi Saturday: Destination Moon

Week 26:

Film(s): Destination Moon (Dir. Irving Pichel, 1950, USA)

Viewing Format: DVD

Date Watched: 2022-01-21

Rationale for Inclusion:

As noted in many posts, a lot of the films selected for this survey came to my attention via consulting Wikipedia lists. However, what motivated doing this survey in the first place was an excuse to watch our favorite sci-fi films and works deemed to be classics that we had not gotten around to seeing yet. Destination Moon (Dir. Irving Pichel, 1950, USA) was one of the films that I had been meaning to see for years because I knew it had noteworthy special effects, thanks to a featurette I saw on American Classic Movies once upon a time in the 1990s. Digging a copy of the out of print 50th anniversary DVD from the bins at Amoeba Records was one of the first purchases I made towards this survey. 

Reactions:

Despite being in competition with Rocketship X-M (Dir. Kurt Neumann, 1950, USA) to be first into release, the films are thematically, as well as aesthetically, quite different. Apart from Destination Moon being filmed in Technicolor, as opposed to black and white with selective use of red tinting cinematography of Rocketship X-M, the independently funded film pushes the argument that private industry will be the leaders in space travel technology, and the government will have to purchase or lease the technology from them. Spaceships in prior films were either implicitly government funded or privately funded by wealthy men of science, but more often than not, the filmmakers did not think that aspect of creating and testing experimental spacecraft was not worth spending screen time on.

Destination Moon being an outright libertarian science fiction film is novel for its time, but not entirely surprising given that its script was co-written by author Robert A. Heinlein. Most write-ups on Destination Moon celebrate Heinlein's hard sci-fi sensibilities shaping what is regarded as the most scientifically accurate depictions of space flight since Woman in the Moon (Frau im Mond, Dir. Fritz Lang, 1929, Germany), but fails to take into account the author's politics. Granted, Heinlein's politics shifted and evolved throughout his life, and his beliefs circa 1950 were not as libertarian as they would become by the mid-1960s, when he wrote the Ayn Rand inspired The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Still, anyone familiar with the arch of Heinlein's bibliography would look at the politics espoused in Destination Moon and say, "Well, that makes sense."

Something that may not make sense to modern viewers is the presence of Woody the Woodpecker in the promotional film to raise funds for the Luna project. Beyond the fact that many may not realize that Woody was a popular cartoon character in the 1940s (since the character, his shorts, and later revivals lack the popularity enjoyed by his contemporaries created by Warner Brothers and Disney), he was created by Walter Lantz, who was best friends with producer, and former Oscar nominated animator, George Pal. In fact, Pal, who went on to produce the spectacular H.G. Wells adaptations The War of the Worlds (Dir. Byron Haskin, 1953, USA) and The Time Machine (Dir. George Pal, 1960, USA), would regularly find ways to insert his friend's anthropomorphic woodpecker in subtle ways throughout his cinematic output.

As for the lauded special effects that interested me in Destination Moon in the first place, they were quite enjoyable. The Academy Award for Best Special Effects deservedly went to this film for its depictions of weightlessness in space and G-force stresses make-up effects. 

The film's lush use of color also gave way to a favorite game of mine whilst watching movies made with the Technicolor process, last referenced in my post about Doctor X (Dir. Michael Curtiz, 1932): "Is this Technicolor abuse?" As a reminder, for something to count as Technicolor Abuse by my definition, the use of color is for spectacle more than contributing to the overall diegesis of the film. 

For additional context, Technicolor's Color Director Natalie Kalmus, infamous amongst filmmakers for her combative insistence that the color process be used to replicate natural colors and not garish over theatrical ones, had exited her position with the company in 1948. While she did contribute to projects that were released as late as 1950, Destination Moon was not one of them, opening its production crew to make more liberal use of color.

My partner called attention to the vividness and abundance of red smoke being used during the Luna's takeoff. I dismissed it as Technicolor Abuse, because it wasn't theoretically unrealistic for that to be the color produced by the ship's atomic propellant system.

As soon as the EVA suits were shown, however, I indicated, "Now THAT is Technicolor Abuse!" Each suit was a different color--orange, yellow, green, or blue--with a white helmet and neutral black and chrome accessories. 

As the movie went on, I realized I might have been wrong in my assessment, however. Against the black vastness of space, with limited communications, being able to identify individual crew by a bright, unique color is actually a practical option. I also can't help but think it inspired the single color space suits later shown in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (Dir. Stanley Kubrick, 1968, USA). Compared to the mostly monochrome suits actually used by astronauts and cosmonauts in the coming years though, the EVA suits in Destination Moon are downright flamboyant and fanciful.

Another major difference between Destination Moon and its rival Rocketship X-M, and a lot of 1950s sci-fi movies actually, is the lack of women scientists and spaceship crew. The upside of this sexism by omission is screen time is not spent on flirting that is actually sexual harassment or performative heteronormativity. The downside is patriarchal gender role promotion by this omission. Not surprisingly, the all male crew is also all white. The closest attempt at diversity of crew that Destination Moon makes is the blue collar Joe Sweeney (Dick Wesson), whom my partner described as resembling a "Budget [Humphrey] Bogart," becoming the substitute radar and radio operator on the expedition.  

My biggest negative criticism with Destination Moon is not its homogenous characters, colorful aesthetics, or Libertarian politics, but its ending. Due to technical difficulties experienced by the crew throughout the film, it is clear to the audience that they may not be able to safely land back on Earth. As the Luna approaches the Earth, the film cuts to a title card that reads, "This is THE END...of the Beginning." The film does not make it explicit either way if the crew safely returned home or burned up upon reentry.

Maybe the audience is supposed to infer that there's a happy ending to Destination Moon. Crewed ships returning safely had not regularly been shown in space travel films to date, the Space Race had not fully begun yet, and audiences did not have the trauma of the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster that modern space nerds would bring into the film. Those things aside, if, like my partner and I, they had seen Rocketship X-M prior, might they assume that the crew's death on return was conceivable, as shown in that film? I don't dislike open endings normally, as they often are more appropriate notes to end narratives on, but after so much peril being introduced the lack of closure reads as a flaw.

Still, Destination Moon is one of the better space travel sci-fi films of the 1950s, and I do recommend genre fans watching it. In fact, if you live in the San Francisco Bay area, Odyssey Film will be screening a 16mm print of the film on September 10 at the Roxie Theater. If time and distance don't make that advantageous for you, the film can be found on DVD or Amazon streaming.

[luckyluan]

CHAPTER 7.2

Livingston dropped his gaze to the ground where his toes danced in his slides. He bent and scraped the water from his legs before he answered but found it lost somewhere in his chest. Oswin beckoned him closer, and the doctor walked into his open arms. He settled in Oswin’s embrace and the unicorn closed a blanket around them two of them. They gazed off into the distance and time slipped by. Oswin rested his chin on the crown of Livingston head and hummed a short tune. 

“I am deeply sorry for your mom’s departure. Your demeanor and attitude towards your abnormality now makes sense. You ran from your fight because the person who helped you cultivate it is no longer with us. I trust you know the God Black will grant her bright passage. She sounds like a remarkable woman. 

“How many are there?” Livingston asked. “Overall, I mean.” 

“I wager there are more gods in existence than stars in Estrelle’s dark garden. There is Ordan, King of the Godlands. Bae, His Queen, The Magic Godhead. Bayu, the mighty lord of the Seven Seas. His longtime lover, Wryth, whose blessing we experienced tonight. Also, Usa, the Proud Patron of War and Battle, the child of The Great Conflict. Choi, the Etern of Love, The God Black--” 

“--you mentioned the God Black earlier. I don’t remember that one.” Livingston interjected. 

“The God Black is the oldest god in existence. She oversees all transformations and the passage of souls. The Godlands as a neutral sanctuary to host her warring siblings and eventually retreated to her own domain. The Ultimate Impartial, sees all but chooses only to dwell in what is.” 

Oswin pressed his chin into the crown of Livingston’s head and let his cool breath wash over him. He ran his fingers along Livingston's damp skin and the doctor squirmed under his touch. 

“She is the being your mom met when she passed on. She councils the deceased as they move through the afterlife. She is in excellent care. All those who are capable of transitioning from this life are.” 

“Everyone doesn’t transition?” Livingston asked. 

“Not everyone. Some souls are incapable of making the necessary journey into the next stage of life. They may owe a debt to vengeful deity or are cursed by tradition or cultural ignorance. The entirety of Homoambrogus Cotardum adopted her as their patron.” 

“Homoabrogus Cotardum...” Livingston mused. “The Living Dead?” 

“The Ambiguous Dead.” Oswin corrected. “Those who have departed this life but find their souls immovable.” 

“Hold up. Vampires?! The Ambiguous Dead are vampires, right?” 

Oswin held his breathe. He drummed his fingers on Livingston’s thigh and the doctor nudged him in the ribs. Oswin exhaled his laughter in throaty coils. 

“The Vamir are an exceptionally reclusive and territorial branch of Abnormalkind, Livingston. We don’t deal with them as most suffer from insatiable hunger. Some adapt modern conventions but there are the stolid few who do their best to instill their hatred in their...offspring.” 

“That. Is. Wicked!” Livingston exclaimed. 

He lurched forward. His mind reeled with the new information. Livingston thought of the infinite possibilities immortality could offer to his research when he turned to Oswin’s stern face. 

“Dangerous, of course. We’d never, like, play with them if we saw them in public. We’re responsible adults, but that is cool.” 

“It’s curious Liliana never told you about them. They are a favorite bedtime story for parents with unruly children as I am certain you were a handful.” Oswin joked. 

“...Liliana.” Livingston repeated. “I never said my mom’s name, Oswin. 

Silence enveloped them. Livingston moved to his feet and loosened the coil at the base of his spine. The decadent scent of magnolias filled the air and a twisted branches grew from the windowsill. They wrapped around Oswin’s sinewy limbs and hoisted him into the air. Roots arranged themselves into steps and Livingston climbed toward the Oswin’s shocked face. Another branch slithered around Oswin’s neck at Livingston’s command, and he held his everchanging gaze. A clap of thunder illuminated is navy irises as spoke. 

“Who the fuck are you?” Livingston breathed. “I will not ask again.” 

--END--

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 3/5

Book Blurb:

A woman must learn to take life by the throat after a night out leads to irrevocable changes in this juicy, thrilling novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Such Sharp Teeth and Black Sheep.

Sloane Parker is dreading her birthday. She doesn’t need a reminder she’s getting older, or that she’s feeling indifferent about her own life. Her husband surprises her with a birthday-weekend getaway—not with him, but with Sloane’s longtime best friend, troublemaker extraordinaire Naomi. Sloane anticipates a weekend of wine tastings and cozy robes and strategic avoidance of issues she’d rather not confront, like her husband’s repeated infidelity.  

But when they arrive at their rental cottage, it becomes clear Naomi has something else in mind. She wants Sloane to stop letting things happen to her, for Sloane to really live. So Naomi orchestrates a wild night out with a group of mysterious strangers, only for it to take a horrifying turn that changes Sloane’s and Naomi’s lives literally forever. The friends are forced to come to terms with some pretty eternal consequences in this bloody, seductive novel about how it’s never too late to find satisfaction, even though it might taste different than expected.

Review:

A modern day Dracula retelling featuring two friends who end up turning into vampires and experiencing a whole new lifestyle. Reformed slut turned surburban house wife... who is so unhappy with herself and her cheating husband... has only one good thing in her life: her best friend Naomi. Wild, stylish, boy crazy; Hurricane of a person. When she meets up with Naomi for their annual trip together Naomi takes them to a party where they meet some very strange attractive individuals... Naomi ends up in an orgy and she herself ends up meeting a mysterious stranger... yet the night unfolds and these strangers turn out to be vampires and when Naomi accidentally gets attacked, it's up to her to figure out what it means for her and Naomi: do they become vampires or do they die? And if they become vampires are they willing to accept everything that comes along with this new lifestyle. I have to say I have mixed feelings about this one. I loved the modern day Dracula take but honestly the main protagonist was such a drag, she really was the biggest downer of a person and the one person you do not want to be in your vampire crew. She got on my nerves so much and yeah I get why she is the way she is by the end of the book but it still was grating on my nerves. Overall it's not a bad modern day retelling and one id definitely recommend for everyone who enjoys Dracula to read at least once.

Release Date: September 10,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[tomboyjessie13-artblog]

This took awhile to make because I had trouble drawing her.

Noriko Tachibana (橘典子 Tachibana Noriko), was a secondary ally during "Diamond is Unbreakable". Noriko was born in Morioh, Japan with Irish-American traits from her mother Medea and Japanese traits from her father Keiji, making her a Hafu. 

She was a innocent and adorable young girl who attends an Elementary School and grew up without knowing of her mother's past sins in "Stardust Crusaders", it wasn't until Yoshikage Kira began to terrorize her family and all of Morioh that she began to see that not everything in the world is pure and beautiful, also doesn't help that her mother's a beautiful woman with only one human hand. 

It is later revealed that Noriko is a natural born Stand user due to seeing her mother's Stand since infancy, albeit still dormant.

She later becomes a secondary protagonist during the events of "Stone Ocean", she is now a teenager who attends High School and dreams on becoming an idol. 

But those dreams were dashed when Enrico Pucci, an ally of her mother's former master DIO, kidnaps and takes her to the Green Dolphin Street Prison in Florida, USA, under the false claim that she committed arson, in hopes of smoking out Medea and using her daughter as leverage for "betraying god". 

It was there that Noriko's Stand finally manifests, now named "Little Talks", and now has to join forces with the Joestar group in hopes of stopping Pucci's plans and reuniting with her mother. 

Noriko will later reappear in the new universe as an alternate version of herself named "Sakura Tachibana", she is portrayed as a Japanese tourist who is visiting Florida for the holidays with her parents.

~Name~ Japanese Name: 橘典子 Romanized Name: Tachibana Noriko Namesake: Noriaki Kakyoin(given by Medea in memory of him) Stand: Little Talks

~Profile~ Age: 5 (Part 4) Age: 17 (Part 6) Birthday: June 6, 1994 Zodiac Sign: Gemini Chinese Zodiac: Dog Gender: Female Height: 91 cm (3 ft 0 in) (Part 4) 154 cm (5 ft 1 in) (Part 6) Weight: Unknown Blood Type: O Nationality: Hafu (Japanese-American) Occupation: Elementary School Student (Part 4) High Schooler (Part 6)

~Favorites~ Color: Pastel green Movie: Spirited Away Food: Strawberries Musician: Gackt Man type: Cool and mysterious Hobbies: Singing

~Other Information~ Hair Color: Dark brown Eye Color: Fern green Goals: Becoming an idol (ruined by Enrico Pucci) Relationships: Medea King/Tachibana (mother) Keiji Tachibana (father) Medea's parents (maternal grandparents) Sachiko Tachibana (paternal grandmother) Yuna Tachibana (paternal aunt)

Status: Reborn in a new universe (Part 6)

~Appearance~

In "Diamond is Unbreakable", Noriko is a 91 cm (3 ft 0 in) tall young girl, who is shown to share both Western and Japanese traits due to being born a Hafu. She has her father's dark brown hair tied into short pigtails with teal hair ties, a round face, thin pale-orange lips, pale skin, a short stature due to her young age, and her mother's fern green eyes. She also shown to be wearing a white and rain-forest green sailor uniform with a magenta colored necktie, white ankle socks, and brown loafers.

In the first chapter of "Stone Ocean", Noriko had noticeably aged and has grown in size, now being 154 cm (5 ft 1 in) tall, her lips now given a pinker shade instead of orange, her hair also grew longer and straighter down to her lower back and tied into half-twin tails with dark green hair ties. 

She's also shown to be wearing a more modern and western style-high school uniform, with a light yellow sweater vest, white dress shirt, Aruba green colored plaid skirt and necktie, dark green jacket, black knee high socks, and rain-forest green Madison all star converses.

In the second chapter, she pierced her own ears in order to wear Kakyoin's cherry earrings as a memento to her mother. In the final chapter, she ties her jacket around her waist and had her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her yellow vest is now gone, and she wears a watch on her left wrist. 

After the universe reset, she's reborn as a different person now with her hair tied into twin-tails, wearing a frilly mint green spaghetti strap summer dress that reaches to her knees, a tan sunhat with a white ribbon on it, and a pair of flat tan ankle sandals, weirdly enough she still wears the cherry earrings from the original universe.

~Abilities~

Stand:

Noriko's Stand didn't manifest until she turned 17, it would later earn the name "Little Talks". Much like Hierophant Green, Little Talks is a Long-Range Stand that can extend to a modest extent. Although it's doesn't do projectile attacks, it makes up for it with by doing stealth attacks and using ice picker-like blades. Little Talk's Stand cry is "Kiruuuuuuu!..." similar to Flogging Molly, "kiru" meaning "scar" in Japanese.

Stand: Little Talks Type: Long-Range, Reconnaissance, Artificial Humanoid Abilities: Shadow stealth

Mastery: 

Noriko is an inexperienced Stand user due to Little Talks being a late-bloomer, but makes up for this flaw by using her intellect to plan out strategies. Much like Flogging Molly, Little Talks is seen as a female-looking humanoid with artificial limbs, with the only difference being that it's more cyborg looking with green colored lining, body armor, and visors, dark teal skin, and light teal pigtails.

And much like her mother's Stand, Little Talks can grow  ice picker blades on it's palms that can overpower, maim, and scar enemies. Little Talks also does stealth attacks with it's shadow stealth ability, which allows it to hide in the shadows of objects or people and surprise their enemies. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Trivia:

Occording to Medea, she originally wanted to name her potential son after "Noriaki" in memory of Kakyoin, but ended up changing it to the more feminine "Noriko" when she found out her baby was a girl.

Her Stand, Little Talks, is named after the song under the same name by Icelandic indie folk and rock band: "Of Monsters and Men".

Noriko wants to become an idol due to having a crush on IRL musician and actor Gackt, at some point she wanted to purchase his Vocaloid "Gackpoid", but her parents refused due to being "too expensive".

OC belongs to me

[missameliep]

Hii 🥰

What is something you love about your MC / OC? You can create and share anything you’d like 😍 HC‘s, moodboards, edits or drabbles. Have fun and gush about your MC / OC 🥰

Also what made you create your MC /OC what was your inspiration?

thank you so much for the ask, dear! what a lovely idea 😍

I'll share about Elizabeth Foredale (f!OC / Desire and Decorum Modern AU!), who is my favorite character to write ever (I have so many stories and AUs in my drafts you wouldn't believe!), and Malia Jones (f!MC / Wake the Dead), who allows me to explore so many interesting themes.

First, what made me create my MC /OC and what was my inspiration?

The reason behind the creation of Elizabeth Foredale (OC) was the fact I was not pleased with PBs take on Brazilian characters (there was Marisa Pires and the whole party-girl vibe and then Rafael Aveiro). Back in 2018, I think, there were talks with a few of my mutuals about (mis)representation of non-USA characters in most books and it sparkled the idea to create an OC who was Brazilian like myself without the usual stereotypes seen in media: loud and sexy Latina, party-girl, always dancing samba or other sexy genre and overexposing her body and things like that. Elizabeth is the opposite of it all: she's shy and introverted, dresses more modestly and is not comfortable with partying and clubbing and prefers a nice walk at the park or a picnic... and her general development fits with the narrative in Desire & Decorum about the illegitimate daughter and other social issues that are superficially addressed in the narrative. With her character, I could talk about stereotypical things that obviously do not apply to an entire population of a country, and can be truly hurtful when reinforced, and racism, since she is the daughter of a black Brazilian woman. And it's always a pleasure to write stories about her and the way she's slowly growing into the woman she aspires to be.

For Malia Jones, she is not an OC, but a MC whose personality is closer to the book, but with a little more nuances and a backstory I have been crafting while writing the miniseries Safe and the one-shots I have posted so far. I really loved Wake the Dead and the post-apocalyptic world gave me so many ideas and themes to explore, so I'm just going along while developing many aspects about her backstory, especially after arriving with her sister at The Tower, and about her life after the end of the book. I recently decided on a FC for her: the actress Keke Palmer (specially in the images I've seen from her part in the movie Nope, her outfits would fit Malia very well). The actress has a beautiful smile, one that I think Troy Hassan would definitely fall in love with.

Why I love this MC / OC ?

Neither is a self insert, even though I see some aspects of myself in Elizabeth, but they are complex and nuanced characters. And even though Malia and Elizabeth seem so different at first, living in completely different worlds, in one Malia faces death, despair and zombies, while Elizabeth lives a privileged and sheltered life, however, in her sheltered life she's reached by tragedy - she loses in the spam of months her mother and brother and her life completely changes with going to a new country and starting a new life, which is also a sentiment familiar to Malia.

So, both of their stories have aspects in common, and it is a pleasure to explore them.

I'll share some edits for Elizabeth and of her friendship with Prince Hamid Second Chances that I have saved in my drafts forever and I think I've never posted before

Elizabeth Foredale FC - Débora Nascimento Hamid Osmanoglu - Sukru Ozyildiz

_____________________________________________

Tagging a few of you who might enjoy reading this:

@princess-geek @noesapphic @lorirwritesfanfic @lilyoffandoms @aallotarenunelma @jerzwriter

[malanijewelers98]

The Symbol of Love and Commitment: Mangalsutras at Malani Jewelers

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What Makes a Mangalsutra Special?

In Hindu weddings, the mangalsutra ceremony symbolizes the sacred connection between two souls. Traditionally made with black and gold beads strung together, the black beads are believed to ward off negativity, while the gold signifies prosperity and purity. Over time, the designs have evolved, blending modern aesthetics with traditional craftsmanship.

At Malani Jewelers, each mangalsutra is crafted with attention to detail, offering a variety of styles to suit individual preferences. Whether you're drawn to classic patterns or contemporary designs, there’s something for every bride and married woman.

Explore the exquisite collection of Mangalsutras at Malani Jewelers.

Choosing the Perfect Mangalsutra

When selecting a mangalsutra, it’s essential to find a piece that reflects your personal style and complements your everyday wardrobe. Here are some tips to guide you:

Consider the Length: Shorter mangalsutras work well with western outfits, while longer ones add a traditional touch to ethnic wear.

Focus on the Pendant: Modern pendants range from floral motifs to geometric shapes, making them versatile for all occasions.

Material Matters: At Malani Jewelers, you'll find options crafted in 22K gold, ensuring durability and lasting brilliance.

Purpose and Use: For daily wear, a lightweight, minimalistic design might be ideal, while elaborate pieces are perfect for festive or formal occasions.

Why Choose Malani Jewelers?

Since 1897, Malani Jewelers has been a trusted name for fine gold jewelry in the USA. With a rich legacy of quality and craftsmanship, the brand ensures every piece meets the highest standards. Their mangalsutra collection is no exception—offering a diverse range of styles that celebrate the beauty of tradition with a modern twist.

Shopping with Malani Jewelers also ensures a seamless experience. With detailed product descriptions, transparent pricing, and a user-friendly website, finding your ideal mangalsutra is just a click away.

Caring for Your Mangalsutra

To keep your mangalsutra looking as radiant as the day you bought it:

Store it in a soft cloth or a separate jewelry box to avoid scratches.

Clean it regularly with a gentle cleaning solution and a soft brush.

Avoid exposing it to harsh chemicals, perfumes, or excessive moisture.

Celebrate Your Bond with a Mangalsutra

A mangalsutra is more than an accessory; it’s a reflection of love, trust, and togetherness. Malani Jewelers offers a range of designs that beautifully capture these emotions, making every piece a treasure to cherish for a lifetime.

Browse the Mangalsutra collection at Malani Jewelers today.

[blackfemalecountryartistonradio]

Country Music has been in black folks "LANE" FOR OVER 200 YEARS. LEARN HISTORY LUKE BRYAN: BEFORE PUTTING YOUR FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH. Black women musicians such as Elizabeth Cotten & Etta Baker developed major country music guitar & banjo-picking styles: that are still used in country music today.

Valerie June is a Grammy-nominated artist who has her own brand of country music. Yola is a four-time Grammy-nominated country music artist. Reyna Roberts is talented black, female country artist. Tiera Kennedy IS a wonderful black female country artist. Tanner Adell is a talented black, female country artist. Ashlie Amber is a black female country artist: who has received favorable nods from the CMA & CMT. Julie Williams received the honor of CMT Next Women of Country Class of 2023. She is very versatile & talented with a bright future in country music.

Chapel Hart received the blessing of Country Music Legend Loretta Lynn shortly before she passed away. Chapel Hart is a talented trio.

Ray Charles, Deford Bailey, Charley Pride are 3 black people in the country music Hall of Fame. Black people brought country music to the USA via slavery with: 1. African banjo, 2. African Drums, 3. African guitar. 3 instruments still used in country music CURRENTLY!

Black musicians incorporated African melodies & traditions into country music. Black slaves found new ways to use the bow on the fiddle: that are still used in country music today. The steel guitar was invented by: Native Hawaiian man of color named Joseph Kekuku. Black Slaves found ways to combine the fiddle, drums, guitar, & banjo into ensembles that influenced & make up the very back bone & back beat of modern country music, bluegrass, & folk music.

AS country music became popular with white audiences, African American recognition wasn't acknowledged at all. Country music remains predominantly white & RACISTS.

Other Black artists besides BEYONCE: who've recorded country albums include: Ray Charles, Solomon Burke, Bobby Womack, Esther Philips, Otis Williams, Millie Jackson, MICKEY GUYTON, RISSI PALMER, THE WAR & TREATY, BRITTNEY SPENCER, MIKO MARKS, KANE BROWN, Tina Turner & MANY OTHERS.

Black people brought country music to the USA via slavery: SO COUNTRY MUSIC IS In OUR "LANE." I consider myself a patriot as a disabled USA Navy Veteran: & I served in the military with honor. It is sad: that as a black woman I'm good enough to serve in the military & possibly get killed or become disabled: but BLACK WOMEN ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN COUNTRY MUSIC. IT IS EVEN WORSE: BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE BROUGHT COUNTRY MUSIC TO THE USA VIA SLAVERY. YOU CAN NOT EVEN PLAY COUNTRY MUSIC WITHOUT THE 1. AFRICAN GUITAR, 2. AFRICAN DRUMS, 3. AFRICAN BANJO. BLACK PEOPLE LIKE 1. DEFORD BAILEY, 2. RUFUS TEETOT PAYNE, 3. LESLIE RIDDLE, 4. RAY CHARLES, 5. CHARLEY PRIDE, 6. LINDA MARTELL, 7. LAMELLE PRINCE ALL HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO COUNTRY MUSIC. THE TIME TO END RACISM AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE & ESPECIALLY BLACK WOMEN IN COUNTRY MUSIC. STOP THE HATE NOW!

Racists have a problem in country music not Beyoncé. Ignorant, uneducated people who think country music is ONLY old white guys, beer, & tractors.

The founders of country music were enslaved African Americans: who brought the 1. African Banjo, 2. African guitar, 3. African drums to the USA along with Native Hawaiian Joseph KeKUKu who invented the steel guitar another staple of country music.

Country music was founded & rooted in the Black community. Racist Minstrel shows renamed the country music black people created as “hillbilly music:" which whites appropiated the country music that black people created even though country music can't even be played without the African instruments of the guitar, banjo, & drums. Country music was brazenly & blatantly stolen from African American Culture, hymns, & African American Slave, field songs.

The term cowboy was a name originally given to black slaves: who herded cattle & would wear cowboy hats, jeans, boots, & attire as they herded cattle for slave masters. Black slaves invented country music: & BROUGHT COUNTRY MUSIC TO THE USA VIA SLAVERY. Black people invented country music, banjo, drums, & guitar. Lesley Riddle was a black man: that wrote & created many songs with the Carter Family. There is a statue of Deford Bailey a black man that contributed to country music immensely in front of the Grand Ole Opry. RAY CHARLES ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO COUNTRY MUSIC. Rufus Payne aka Teetot taught country music, country singing, & country guitar playing to Hank Williams, a part Native American & White country music artist: who was told not to acknowledge his Native American roots nor his lessons from Rufus Teetot Payne. Charley Pride is a country music legend. LaMelle Prince was the first black lady, country artist. Ignorant racists: who don't know country music was brought to USA by black slaves along with the: 1. African Banjo, 2. African guitar, & 3. African drums are the problem NOT BEYONCE!